There is a polarization camera of practical use which is provided with a sensor having a polarizing filter placed thereon so that it is capable of acquiring polarization information about an object. The polarization camera permits acquiring the information of the planer orientation of an object and the presence of transparent objects. This facilitates the recognition of objects and the detection of foreign matters. Consequently, the polarization camera is expected to find a broad range of use as an inspection device in a production line and an on-board camera, for example (refer to PTL 1 and PTL 2, for example).